How scary is it to pick up your life and leave everything behind to start a new one? Not as scary as it could be, thanks to social networking sites like myspace and facebook. I am relocating halfway across the country to Rapid City, South Dakota, and I don't know a single soul in the state. Rather, I didn't know anyone until I changed my zipcode under 'personal info' on myspace. I sent out little feelers and go a couple of replies, mostly along the lines of, "good luck! You'll love it here...I moved here from somewhere else and it's great...etc" but there are still friendly folks out there, even online. I checked some of the myspace statistics from a few years ago and am referring to one of my favorite videos, "Did you know?" In the most recent Did You Know video, the myspace segment included the number of users and compared users to citizens of a country. If myspace were a country, it would be the fifth largest population, right between Indonesia and Brazil.
The link above will take you to a page with boring but relevant statistics. Social networking sites, specifically myspace, make it less scary to pack up and go because I now have friends to look forward to meeting when I get there. I say I used myspace to connect because on facebook I really only connect with people I already know, friends and family and old teachers and classmates. Myspace is more like the internet bar scene where I can say "How you doin'?" and wink. I don't feel comfortable reaching out on facebook because it just feels more intimate, more professional. Myspace, however, is where I can be me or be goofy or ask if they know of any houses for rent outside the city (where spaces are more affordable).
While trying to connect with new folks, I also answered several roommate wanted ads in the online edition of Rapid City Journal. I got a couple of good conversations about weather and stuff only a local will tell ya, you know, stuff the Chamber of Commerce deliberately leaves out of the relocation guide (which has tons of really interesting info anyway so it's totally worth the inquiry). Ironically, in a city of 77000 and a myspace population in the millions, I made friends with a myspacer with whom I'd already spoken when I was looking for a room to rent! What are the odds of that? I don't care to calculate, but I speculate that it's not something on which I'd bet.
All the more reason to get up and go! The thrift store came by today and informed me I have to pack up everything in boxes for them to pick it up. The freecycle folks all call with inquiries but not one has stopped by. If you want something for free, just ask for my address and you go through it. Don't text me 20 times asking for descriptions of stuff you don't even have to pay for. Browse through it yourself! Sheesh.
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